US Dismisses Russia’s Nuclear Drills as Threat, Says Russia Should Simply Withdraw from Ukraine

The administration of the president of the United States of America did not see a significant danger in the fact that Russia announced military exercises that involved practicing the use of tactical nuclear weapons.

John Kirby, White House National Security Communications Advisor, announced this at a briefing on Monday, May 6.

“If Mr. Putin and Russian officials are worried about their troops in Ukraine getting hit by weapons from other countries, the easiest thing to do is just take your troops and leave,” Kirby said.

On May 6 Russia announced conducting military drills involving simulated use of tactical nuclear weapons. This comes after the Russian Defense Ministry claimed Western officials made “provocative threats.”

The Russian Defense Ministry said that the exercise is aimed at ensuring Russia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty “in response to provocative statements and threats by certain Western officials against the Russian Federation.”

Matthew Miller, US State Department spokesman, has also stated that the US doesn’t see any signs of Russia planning to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine.

“So Russia’s rhetoric — their nuclear rhetoric — has been reckless and irresponsible throughout this conflict. That said, we have not seen any reason to adjust our own nuclear posture in response to these announcements, nor any indications that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine,” Miller said.